'Desperate Housewives' creator begins testimony

Updated 7:29 pm, Monday, March 5, 2012

Photo: Dan Steinberg

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FILE - In this July 27, 2011 file photo, actress Nicollette Sheridan poses for a portrait at during The Television Critics Association 2011 Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sheridan concluded testifying Monday, March 5, 2012, in Los Angeles and "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry told jurors he planned to kill off the actress' character four months before he allegedly hit her on the show's set in September 2008. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, file) less

FILE - In this July 27, 2011 file photo, actress Nicollette Sheridan poses for a portrait at during The Television Critics Association 2011 Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sheridan concluded ... more

Photo: Dan Steinberg

'Desperate Housewives' creator begins testimony

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The creator of "Desperate Housewives" told jurors Monday that he received permission to kill Nicollette Sheridan's character four months before he was involved in a dispute during which the actress claims he struck her on the head.

Marc Cherry testified that a top ABC executive gave him permission to kill off Edie Britt's character during a brief meeting in May 2008, long before the dispute over a scene.

Sheridan's attorneys claim she was fired for complaining about the blow, which Cherry has described as a tap he gave as artistic direction.

Sheridan, whose character died toward the end of the show's fifth season, is seeking more than $6 million for wrongful termination and battery claims.

The actress concluded testifying Monday after sparring with Cherry's attorneys over her prominence on the show and whether she had inconsistently described how Cherry hit her.

Sheridan told jurors she was shocked by the blow and demonstrated it on her attorney for the jury. She claims Cherry hit her on the temple, but Cherry testified, "I tapped her head."

Sheridan's attorneys called Cherry as the trial's second witness, but he has not yet described his version of the dispute in detail. Instead, his early testimony focused on the decision to kill the Britt character and whether that was made before his dispute with the actress.

Cherry testified that he had three reasons for killing off Britt — creative, cost-cutting, and complaints about Sheridan's behavior. He acknowledged there wasn't any documentation about the actress' alleged bad behavior, which included claims of tardiness, forgetting lines and treating a prop person rudely.

Cherry said he told ABC the death of Britt could be heavily promoted and would benefit the show financially and with ratings.